All belongs to Joss. Reviews would be great. Finally getting into the
B/S. thanks for hanging in there. There will be more S/T, coming, but I
had to put in some Spuffy lovin'.
Banging, it was the banging that had driven him from his sleep. Groaning he rolled over willing away the noise, but he knew she wouldn't leave. Stubborn Summers women. Rising he was about to pull a shirt on and couldn't find one. The banging still hadn't slowed and he thought it strange of Dawn to be that persistent, worried he hurried to the door, all thoughts of a shirt gone.
"Bloody hell, is the world ending?"
The last of his words faded away as he saw who was standing before him.
She looked up at him her breath caught at the sight of him. Chest bare and hair tousled from sleep he was so gorgeous it made her ache. Catching herself staring she pulled her eyes from his figure and up to his eyes. Big mistake, his blue eyes were smirking at her, he knew what she was thinking and he was loving it.
"Slayer, what can I do you for?"
SO she hadn't been able to stay away had she? That was an interesting piece of information. Best to take things slow.
"Well I wanted to know if this is where Dawn has been disappearing to?"
Pushing the door open wider to allow her entrance he carefully maneuvered her in without getting hit by the sun's rays.
"She's been avoiding you eh?"
Stepping into his place she glanced around curiously.
"Not so much. I just know she's been slipping away after school."
Heading into the kitchen he fought down the rising attraction he was feeling just by being so near to her.
"Drink?"
"Sure."
She took a seat at the bar and watched as he poured her a diet coke.
"How are things with the research?"
"Fine. We're piecing things together. Willow's getting in some major computer time, but it seems to be good for her."
A silence fell between them. He leaned forward on the counter the closest he could get to her.
"And how have you been?"
Looking over into his eyes she felt butterflies begin kicking up. Taking a big drink she calmed her nerves, it was just Spike after all. [Yeah and you love him now.]
"Good, I've been real good. Working and Slaying, it's been good."
"Good. Well then that's good."
Smiling at her discomfort he imagined she had been anything but good, but she didn't seem ready to admit it yet.
"I like your place."
"Thanks. All of this stuff is Tara's, except for that painting."
The painting that hung next to the bookcase was a stunning rendition of a sunrise over a field of wildflowers, not something that she would have suspected was his.
"it's beautiful Spike."
Looking over at him she caught a glimpse of longing in his eyes.
"Reminds me of home, is all."
Turning to the sink he ran water over the now empty glass. She watched the graceful movements of his back and remembered the times she spent tracing each line of bone and muscle.
"So how's work?" Meeting her eyes he sensed something different there, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Good, really good. I'm building up a strong body of work. Tara has a back and sleeves coming along nicely."
She felt a wave of jealousy course through her and she took a long drink of her now flat soda. He had to contain a smile at her blatant jealousy. Something was brewing with his slayer, best to tread lightly.
"Sleeves? I'm lost."
"Well a long series of tattoos either similar or not that covers the whole arm is called a sleeve."
Silence descended between them and she absently traced the rim of her glass as she imagined him working on her arms.
"I'd love to work on you."
She met his eyes and read the longing in them. Smiling at him she felt joy spring back in her that she had not felt since she had come back. She had never thought about getting a tattoo before, but why not.
"I've never thought about it before."
He loked away when he realized she was turning him down again. He had spoken too soon, revealed more than he should have. As soon as she had appeared in the doorway all of the resolve he had building melted away and he was again playing the fool.
The look on his face tugged at her heart. She had hurt him, again. He thought she was saying no.
"But I think I might like one. Have any ideas."
Looking back at her he saw the truth in her eyes. She was interested. He knew exactly where he wanted to mark her. Even had a few sketches of the design. A large collection of knots and ivy the graced the small curve where her back met her bottom. Thoughts of his hands skimming over that soft patch of skin made him shiver.
"A few."
She smiled at him, almost shyly and followed him down the small hallway towards what she assumed was his bedroom. It still amazed her that he had a home. One that has real plumbing and he worked to pay rent towards it. She paused at his door and watched him stride over to a desk and root through sheets of what appeared to be drawings.
The sketched had to be here somewhere. Cursing his lack of organization he made his way to the bottom of the stack where he finally found the three sheets he was looking for.
"I knew they were here somewhere."
He noticed her standing in the doorway still and smiled.
"Come on in, luv, have a look."
Banging, it was the banging that had driven him from his sleep. Groaning he rolled over willing away the noise, but he knew she wouldn't leave. Stubborn Summers women. Rising he was about to pull a shirt on and couldn't find one. The banging still hadn't slowed and he thought it strange of Dawn to be that persistent, worried he hurried to the door, all thoughts of a shirt gone.
"Bloody hell, is the world ending?"
The last of his words faded away as he saw who was standing before him.
She looked up at him her breath caught at the sight of him. Chest bare and hair tousled from sleep he was so gorgeous it made her ache. Catching herself staring she pulled her eyes from his figure and up to his eyes. Big mistake, his blue eyes were smirking at her, he knew what she was thinking and he was loving it.
"Slayer, what can I do you for?"
SO she hadn't been able to stay away had she? That was an interesting piece of information. Best to take things slow.
"Well I wanted to know if this is where Dawn has been disappearing to?"
Pushing the door open wider to allow her entrance he carefully maneuvered her in without getting hit by the sun's rays.
"She's been avoiding you eh?"
Stepping into his place she glanced around curiously.
"Not so much. I just know she's been slipping away after school."
Heading into the kitchen he fought down the rising attraction he was feeling just by being so near to her.
"Drink?"
"Sure."
She took a seat at the bar and watched as he poured her a diet coke.
"How are things with the research?"
"Fine. We're piecing things together. Willow's getting in some major computer time, but it seems to be good for her."
A silence fell between them. He leaned forward on the counter the closest he could get to her.
"And how have you been?"
Looking over into his eyes she felt butterflies begin kicking up. Taking a big drink she calmed her nerves, it was just Spike after all. [Yeah and you love him now.]
"Good, I've been real good. Working and Slaying, it's been good."
"Good. Well then that's good."
Smiling at her discomfort he imagined she had been anything but good, but she didn't seem ready to admit it yet.
"I like your place."
"Thanks. All of this stuff is Tara's, except for that painting."
The painting that hung next to the bookcase was a stunning rendition of a sunrise over a field of wildflowers, not something that she would have suspected was his.
"it's beautiful Spike."
Looking over at him she caught a glimpse of longing in his eyes.
"Reminds me of home, is all."
Turning to the sink he ran water over the now empty glass. She watched the graceful movements of his back and remembered the times she spent tracing each line of bone and muscle.
"So how's work?" Meeting her eyes he sensed something different there, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Good, really good. I'm building up a strong body of work. Tara has a back and sleeves coming along nicely."
She felt a wave of jealousy course through her and she took a long drink of her now flat soda. He had to contain a smile at her blatant jealousy. Something was brewing with his slayer, best to tread lightly.
"Sleeves? I'm lost."
"Well a long series of tattoos either similar or not that covers the whole arm is called a sleeve."
Silence descended between them and she absently traced the rim of her glass as she imagined him working on her arms.
"I'd love to work on you."
She met his eyes and read the longing in them. Smiling at him she felt joy spring back in her that she had not felt since she had come back. She had never thought about getting a tattoo before, but why not.
"I've never thought about it before."
He loked away when he realized she was turning him down again. He had spoken too soon, revealed more than he should have. As soon as she had appeared in the doorway all of the resolve he had building melted away and he was again playing the fool.
The look on his face tugged at her heart. She had hurt him, again. He thought she was saying no.
"But I think I might like one. Have any ideas."
Looking back at her he saw the truth in her eyes. She was interested. He knew exactly where he wanted to mark her. Even had a few sketches of the design. A large collection of knots and ivy the graced the small curve where her back met her bottom. Thoughts of his hands skimming over that soft patch of skin made him shiver.
"A few."
She smiled at him, almost shyly and followed him down the small hallway towards what she assumed was his bedroom. It still amazed her that he had a home. One that has real plumbing and he worked to pay rent towards it. She paused at his door and watched him stride over to a desk and root through sheets of what appeared to be drawings.
The sketched had to be here somewhere. Cursing his lack of organization he made his way to the bottom of the stack where he finally found the three sheets he was looking for.
"I knew they were here somewhere."
He noticed her standing in the doorway still and smiled.
"Come on in, luv, have a look."
